Afterwards the McLaren ace described the World champion as a “buzzing fly” that wouldn’t go away and declared he had beaten the “supposed best”.

After a flying final sector to steal his eighth pole of the year from teammate Mark Webber on his last lap, Vettel recalled a rare defeat.

Vettel said: “Last year I had a big battle and in the end he was a bit quicker. It wasn’t the nicest feeling. This year I want to win.”

And there is every chance he will record a record eighth successive victory and continue his run towards his idol Michael Schumacher’s record 13 wins in a season.

Like the rest, Hamilton’s Mercedes is not even in the same league as the Red Bull duo this weekend.

The two Milton Keynes cars were seven tenths of a second faster than their nearest rival Romain Grosjean with Hamilton a second a lap slower in fifth.

Meanwhile Pastor Maldonado accused his Williams team of fixing his car. “Somebody has been playing with the pressures,” said the Venezuelan, who is leaving the team at the end of the season. It is clear. Ask the team.”

He qualified 18th for what is effectively his home race while teammate Valtteri Bottas starts eighth.

Boss Claire Williams denied their relationship was ending in acrimony.

She said: “It’s a big adrenaline rush for drivers in qualifying. Not that’ I’m not surprised but people say things after these situations.”

Jenson Button qualified a poor 13th while his sacked team-mate Sergio Perez starts seventh, matching his best grid start of the season.

And Button will start three places lower after receiving a penalty for overtaking another car under red flags conditions.

Button said: “The base performance wasn’t there.

“We weren’t quick enough. It’s not good. We are starting on the dirty side as well.”